This invention relates to floats and arrangement of coupling thereof in different apparatuses. The invention is particularly useful in devices for generation of electrical power from wave action.
Prior efforts to harness the power of sea water motion have usually involved complex schemes relying mostly on tidal action or on some complex utilization scheme of the wave motion at a given tide level. In remote coastal areas where power need be generated only on a relatively small scale, the previously proposed schemes are impractical due to their cost. A need therefore exists for a simple, reliable device which would be capable of economically providing electricity from the wave action of sea water for both large and small applications.
It is also desirable to have a float with mechanism to allow it to turn into the direction of waves with a castering action, and an arrangement to compensate for tide height variations.
Various types of float arrangements are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,901 to Woodbridge shows floats that merely move up and down with wave motion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,365 to Parr shows a power float, support floats and sensing floats. The sensing floats detect the contour of the waves and through drive means cause spacing of the main floats for greater efficiency. U.S. Pat. No. 1,923,887 to Renda shows a float that is rocked by wave action. U.S. Pat. No. 1,746,613 to Shuler shows a float attached by a swivel to allow turning. The float has a curved surface 43c on top of which the waves impinge to push the float down. These various floats are not efficient and do not have arrangement to compensate for tide height variations.